Nailing machine



July 24, 1956 w. s. JOHNSON NAILING MACHINE Filed Jan. 20, 1955 3Sheets-Sheet 1 INVENTOR WILBERT .S. JOHNSON WW 6 ATTORNEYS July 24, 1956w. s. JOHNSON NAILING MACHINE 3 Sheets-Sheet 2 Filed Jan. 20, 1955 IHIINVENTOR JOHNSON WILBERT 5.

ATTORNEYS July 24, 1956 w. s. JOHNSON NAILING MACHINE 3 Sheets-Sheet 3Filed Jan. 20, 1955 INVENTOR WILBERT S. J'oHNsoN ATTORNEY? United StatesPatent NAILING MACHINE Wilbert S. Johnson, Horseheads, N. Y., assignorto National Homes Corporation, Lafayette, Ind, a corporation of IndianaApplication January 20, 1955, Serial No. 482,963

3 Claims. (Cl. 1-1) This invention relates to nailing machines, andparticularly to nailing machines having means for supporting an assemblyof work pieces to be nailed together. The invention, however, mayreadily be incorporated in a portable nailing machine.

In general, the present invention comprises a nailing machine having oneor more nail chucks adapted to sequentially receive nails from aconventional nail picker and feeder and hold each nail in position to bedriven into the work pieces. A hammer device is mounted on the machineso that a nail driving rod thereof can be moved into and through thenail chuck to drive a nail therefrom and into the work. The hammerdevice includes an adjustable stop means movable with the nail drivingrod until it engages a portion of the chuck and thus stops nail drivingmovement of the rod. The nail chuck and hammer device are so relatedthat the chuck is spring urged away from the hammer device but can beforcibly pushed toward the hammer device. In operation the nail chuckand hammer device assembly is moved as a unit to the work piecessufliciently to engage the nail chuck with the work piece and at leastpartially compress the spring. Thus, the spring acts through the chuckto firmly clamp the work pieces together preparatory to nailing. Uponactuation of the hammer its stop means predetermines the depth to whichthe nail is driven and that depth is always determined relative to thesurface of the Work piece since the movement of the hammer is stopped bythe chuck which, in turn, is positioned by the work piece. Thus theadjustable stop can be set to drive a nail head flush with the worksurface, embedded below the surface or projecting above the surface andall sequentially driven nails will be driven to the same depthregardless of variations in the work pieces. Preferably the means fordriving the hammer comprises a pneumatic piston, which requires noadjustment of its stroke upon changing the position of the stop means onthe hammer rod.

It is therefore an object of this invention to provide a nailing machinewherein the depth of penetration of nails driven thereby may bepositively controlled independently of work piece dimensions.

It is a further object of this invention to provide a single simpleadjustment to effect the control set forth above.

It is a still further object of this invention to provide a nailingmachine for nailing assembled work pieces together and which includes,as part of the nailing mechanism, means for firmly clamping the workpieces together prior to and during nailing.

It is another object of this invention to provide a nailing machinehaving tiltable nailing devices to enable nails to be driven into astationary work piece at different angles.

A general object of this invention is to provide a nail ing machine ofnovel and economical construction.

Further and additional objects and advantages of the invention willbecome apparent to those skilled in the art as the detailed descriptionproceeds with reference to the accompanying drawings, wherein:

Fig. 1 is a side elevational view, with parts broken away, of a nailingmachine embodying the present invention;

Fig. 2 is an end elevational view of the machine of Fig. 1, as viewedfrom the left end thereof, with parts broken away;

Fig. 3 is a vertical sectional view, on an enlarged scale, takensubstantially along the line 3-3 of Fig. 2;

Fig. 4 is a vertical sectional view, on an enlarged scale, takensubstantially along the line 44 of Fig. 3;

Fig. 5 is a horizontal sectional view taken substantially along the line5-5 of Fig. 3;

Fig. 6 is a vertical sectional view, on a further enlarged scale, takensubstantially along the line 6-6 of Fig. 3; and

Fig. 7 is a horizontal sectional view taken substantially along the line7-7 of Fig. 6.

Referring first more particularly to Figs. 1 and 2 of the drawings, theinvention comprises a tablestructure consisting of legs 2 and transversehorizontal brace members 4. The legs support an open work table 6consisting of longitudinal and transverse hollow square tubular memberswelded together. Transverse rail supports 8 are welded or otherwisefixed below the table members 6 and extend transversely of the machineto project outwardly of the lateral edges of the table structure.Longitudinal rails in are securely mounted at the ends of the transversesupports 8, such as. by welding or the like, and extend longitudinallyof the machine outwardly of but parallel to the side edges of the tablestructure 6. Each of the rails 10 has a longitudinally extending rackbar 12 fixedly secured to its upper surface along one edge thereof,leaving the outer edge portion of the rails 16 exposed.

A carriage comprising longitudinal side members 14 at each side of thetable, is mounted for longitudinal movement over the table 6. Each ofthe side members 14 is provided with spaced rollers 16 riding on theexposed surface portions of the rails 19 to support the carriagethereon. Each of the side members 14 is further provided with a pair offixed upstanding post members 18 rigidly secured thereto inlongitudinally spaced relation. A transverse carriage member 20 is fixedto the upper ends of the posts 18 and extends across the table 6 at asubstantial elevation thereabove. The transverse member 20 serves as abrace or reinforcement to hold the upright members 18 in uprightposition and the required distance apart.

Each of the side members 14 of the carriage has a gear 22 journalledthereon in position to mesh with the teeth of corresponding rack bar 12.Bearings 24 on the carriage side members 14 rotatably support atransverse shaft 26, journalled at its ends in the bearings 24. Adjacenteach of its ends the shaft 26 has a pinion 28 fixed thereon and meshingwith the corresponding gear 22. Both gears 22 are of the same pitchdiameter, as are both pinions 28. By this structure it will be evidentthat the carriage may be advanced along the rails 10 and theinterconnected gears 22 will function to insure equal movement to bothsides of the carriage, thus eliminating bulky and complicated bracingbetween the carriage side members 14.

Nailing head supporting structure is provided on the carriage forvertical movement thereon and comprises a transverse hollow squaretubular support member 30 arranged with its ends terminating inwardly ofthe upright posts 18. A second square tubular member 32, of the samelength as member 30, is fixed to the upper surface of the member 30 andis-provided with stub shafts 34 projecting from its opposite endsoutwardly between the upright posts 18. The stub shafts 34 arejournalled in blocks 36 slidably received between the upright posts 18and provided with plates 38 and 38' retaining those blocks in slidingposition between the posts 18. The retaining plate 38' at the outer faceof one end of the carriage extends upwardly as shown in Fig. 1 for apurpose to be described later. A pneumatic piston and cylinder motor 40is suitably supported on one of the upright posts 18 with the cylinderthereof held in fixed position on the post 18 and its piston rod 42connected to one end of a lever 44 which, in turn, is fixed to one endof a shaft 46 journalled in and extending through the upper carriagemember 20 to project beyond both ends thereof. As shown, the lever 44 ismounted intermediate its ends on the shaft 46 and the other end thereofis pivoted to a link 48 extending downwardly and inwardly through thespace between posts 18 to a supporting lug 50 on the support member 32.The link 48 pivotally supports the lug 50 and the supporting assembly3032 for vertical movement between posts 18. The opposite end of shaft46 is provided with a short lever 44 fixed thereto and corresponding tothat portion of lever 44 extending from shaft 46 to link 48. The lever44' is pivoted to a second lever 48 identical to that first describedand which is also pivoted to a lug 50 adjacent the other end of thesupport member 32. Thus, it will be obvious that actuation of thepneumatic motor 40 will result in oscillation of shaft 46 and aresultant raising or lowering of the nailing head support structurecomprising the transverse beams 30 and 32.

One of the stub shafts 34 previously described has a lever 52 fixedthereto outwardly of the plate 38 (Fig. l). The upper portion of theplate 38 may be provided with a suitable motor device (not shown) actingthrough a link 54 pivoted to the lever 52 to tilt the nailing headsupporting beams 30 and 32 about the axis of stub shafts 34 from avertical to an inclined position.

Referring now to Figs. 2 to 7, a plurality of nailing head assemblies 56(Fig. 2) are mounted on the nailing head supporting beams 30 and 32. Thenailing head assemblies each consist of a pneumatic cylinder 58 fixedlymounted on a bracket 60 (Fig. 3) which is welded to the tubular support32. The pneumatic cylinders 58 are each provided with a piston thereinand a piston rod 62 extending downwardly through the brackets 60. Asuitable solenoid-controlled valve 64 is provided for each pneumaticmotor, for a purpose to be hereinafter described. Each of the brackets60 is further provided with a bracket 66 fixedly secured to its loweredge portion.

A plurality of guide members 68 (see Fig. are secured to the supportingmember 30 immediately below the brackets 66 and function as guides fornail chucks 70 having transversely enlarged heads 72 slidably receivedin the guides 68. Suitable retainers 74, fixed to the guides 68, retainthe nail chucks on the guides 68 for vertical sliding movement therein.The guides 68 may be further provided with gibs 76 and set screws 78therefor whereby the nail chucks may be slidably guided withoutappreciable lateral movement. Each of the nail chucks 70 is providedwith a stud 80 (Figs. 3 and 4) projecting upwardly therefrom through anopening 82 in the corresponding bracket 66. A compression spring 84surrounds each stud 80 between the corresponding bracket 66 and theupper surface of a lock nut 85 locking stud 80 in the nail chuck. Thestuds 80 are further provided with adjustable nuts 86 thereon comprisingstop means engage able with the upper surfaces of the brackets 66 tolimit downward sliding movement of the nail chucks, in guides 68, underthe influence of springs 84.

The nail chucks 70 will not be described in detail since they may takeany conventional and well known form but in each instance the chucks areprovided with a vertical passageway therethrough and suitable means toreceive nails and hold those nails in position to be driven into a workpiece below the nail chuck.

Nails are supplied to the nail chucks by means of conventional andwell-known nail picking and feeding devices.

Each nail chuck is provided with means defining a lowermost surface 88and an upper or abutment surface 90. The nail-receiving passageway ofeach chuck extends vertically therethrough and is located directly belowand aligned with the axis of the piston rod 62.

Each piston rod 62 is threaded at its lower end into a threaded bore ina hammer receiving head 92. A suitable lock nut 94 (Fig. 6) holds thehead 92 in the desired position on the piston rod 62. Each head 92 isexternally threaded and provided with a transverse recess 96 and aradial slot 98 extending axially thereof from the recess 96 through thelowermost end of the head 92. A hammer having a shank 100 and a head 102is positioned with its head 102 in recess 96, which is complementary inshape thereto, and its shank 100 extending downwardly in the slot 98.The shank 100' constitutes the hammer for driving the nails and extendsdownwardly into the vertical passageway in nail chuck 70.

A retaining cap 104, having a central opening 106, is threaded to theexterior of the head 92 and held in axially adjusted position thereon byinternally threaded locking ring 108. The central opening 106 of the cap104 serves to hold the shank 100 of the hammer in axial alignment withpiston rod 62 and the threaded cylindrical portion of the cap overliesand covers the recess 96, thus preventing removal of the hammer from thehead 92. The cap 104 performs a further function to be described later.

In operation of the apparatus, work pieces comprising studs 110 (Fig. 2)and a panel member 112 may be placed on the table 6 of the machine withthe studs 110 lying directly below the respective nailing heads 56. Withthe work pieces thus assembled on the table 6, the carriage carrying thenailing heads may be positioned at one end of the work piece assemblyand upon actuation of the pneumatic motor 40 to force its pistonupwardly, the supporting beams 30-32 are forcibly moved downwardly adistance greater than that necessary to bring the lowermost faces 88 ofthe nail chucks into engagement with the work piece panel 112. When thefaces 88 of the nail chucks engage the panel 112 downward movement ofthe nail chucks is arrested and further downward movement of thesupporting beams 30 and 32 results in relative sliding movement betweenthe nail chucks and guides 68 and compression of springs 84. The partswill be so adjusted that the springs 84 will be compressed somewhat lessthan the limit of their compressing movement so the springs arethereafter effective to firmly hold the nail chucks against the workpiece to effectively clamp the panel 112 against studs 110 and holdstuds 110 firmly against the table 6. If desired, suitable jigs orpositioning means (not shown) may be provided to initially properlyposition the studs 110 and/ or panel 112 on the table 6.

After lowering the supporting beams 30 and 32 as described, the solenoidvalves 64 are actuated to admit air under pressure to the cylinders 58above the pistons therein and force piston rods 62 downwardly to causethe shanks 100 of the hammers to engage and drive nails in the nailchucks through the panel 112 and into studs 110. Downward movement ofthe hammers continues until the lowermost surfaces 114 of the caps 104engage the upper abutment surfaces of the nail chucks. Pneumaticpressure thereafter is ineffective to drive the hammers any fartherthrough the nail chucks. Obviously the caps 104 may be axially adjustedand locked in adjusted position along the heads 92 and relative to thehammer shanks to thus predetermine the extent of movement of the shanks100 through the nail chucks. By this means the caps 104 may be adjustedto regulate the depth to which the nails are driven in the work pieces.They may be readily adjusted to drive the nail heads flush with theupper surface of the panel 112, to sink the nail heads below the uppersurface of the panel 112, or to leave the nails projecting slightlyabove the panel surface. Since the distance between surfaces 88 and 90of the nailing chucks is a fixed distance and since the upper surface 90thereof controls the extent of movement of the hammer shanks 100, thenails will always be driven to the predetermined depth relative to thework piece independently of variations in thickness or other dimensionsof the Work pieces themselves.

After driving a row of nails into the work pieces, the supports 30 and32 may be raised and the carriage moved long' inally of the table 6 todrive another row of nails in the work piece assembly, and so on, untilthe entire work piece has been nailed together.

The tilting of the supporting beams 30 and 32 about the axis of stubshafts 34 may be resorted to at any time when it becomes necessary todrive nails into a work piece at an angle displaced from the vertical.The shape of a particular work piece may require that nails be driventherein at angles other than the vertical.

While a single specific embodiment of the invention has been shown anddescribed herein, it is to be understood that other modifications may beresorted to within the scope of the appended claims.

1 claim:

a. In a nailing machine; means for supporting a work piece, nail chuckmounted for sliding movement toward and from a work piece on saidsupporting means, resilient means urging said nail chuck into engagementwith said work piece, means for retracting said nail chuck from saidWork piece, a hammer member mounted in alignment with said nail chuck,means for independently actuating said hammer member to drive a nailfromsaid chuck into said work piece, said nail chuck being provided with aface engageable with said workpiece, and means for limiting the extentof movement of said hammer relative to said face in a direction towardsaid workpiece.

2. In a nailing machine; means for supporting a work piece, a holdermounted for movement toward and from a work piece on said supportingmeans, a nail chuck mounted for sliding movement on said holder in adirection toward and from a work piece on said supporting means,resilient means urging said nail chuck to slide on said holder towardsaid work piece, stop means limiting the movement of said nail chuckrelative to said holder under the influence of said resilient means, ahammer member supported on said holder in alignment with said nailchuck, and means for independently actuating said hammer member to drivea nail from said chuck to said work piece.

3. A nailing machine as defined in claim 2 wherein said means forsupporting said work piece comprises a table member and wherein saidholder is mounted on a carriage movable along said table member, saidholder being movably mounted on said carriage for vertical movementtoward and from said table member, and fluid pressure operated means forselectively raising or lowering said holder on said carriage through apredetermined range of movement.

References :Cited in the file of this patent UNITED STATES PATENTS806,411 Inwood Dec. 5, 1905 1,262,781 Gross Apr. 16, 1918 1,605,053Morgan Nov. 2, 1926 1,667,777 Goddu May 1, 1928 1,949,108 Paxton Feb.27, 1934 1,994,798 Twomley Mar. 19, 1935 2,135,650 Twomley Nov. 8, 19382,305,234 Bratz Dec. 16, 1942 2,420,685 Robinson May 20, 1947 2,482,872Rapport Sept. 27, 1949 2,530,626 Paxton Nov. 21, 1950 2,536,350 BurbyIan. 2, 1951 2,540,106 Eichelberger Feb. 6, 1951

